Nov. 16, 2009

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Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State dropped its 2009-10 season opener on Monday night (Nov. 16) in an overtime contest to visiting Drury by a score of 92-85 in Fieldhouse Arena. The #25 Lakers tied the game with four seconds left in regulation before the Panthers pulled away late in overtime, as five players from both teams scored in double figures.

The game marked the season opener for both teams, as GVSU falls to 0-1 and Drury is now 1-0. It was the first overtime game for Grand Valley State since Dec. 18, 2006 when the Lakers defeated Emporia State 73-71 in overtime. GVSU led at halftime by seven points and rallied to tie the score late in the second half, forcing the extra session.

Drury, which is receiving votes in the most recent National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll, got out of the gates quickly with an 8-2 lead. The Lakers responded with a 12-6 run that was capitalized by a layup from freshman forward Paige Smith to knot the game at 14-14. Grand Valley State led by as many as eight points the rest of the half and used a layup from freshman center Alex Stelfox as the first-half clock expired to take a 40-33 advantage into the intermission.

The Lakers drained six three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes for a 46.2 percent clip from long range. Junior guard Elizabeth Van Tiflin connected on 3-of-4 first-half triple tries for 11 points. Both teams shot extremely well, as Grand Valley State connected at a 51.6 percent (16-of-31) clip, while Drury knocked down 51.9 percent (14-of-27) of its attempts. Each team created 11 turnovers in the opening stanza.

GVSU extended its lead to 49-39 early in the second half, as sophomore guard Kelly Kretz drained a three-pointer and the Lakers enjoyed their biggest lead of the game. The Panthers began to rally, scoring the next nine points and cutting the score to 49-48. Neither team was able to pull away until late in the half, when Drury jumped ahead 72-66 off a pair of free throws from Caitlin Shouse with 4:07 remaining.

The Lakers started a comeback and used layups from Smith and sophomore point guard Jasmine Padin to make the score 72-70. After a Drury bucket, sophomore guard Maddie Burnett knocked down a three-pointer from the corner to pull GVSU to within one point at 74-73 with just over two minutes left.

Drury led 77-75 with 14 seconds remaining, but Padin drove inside the paint and dished off to Smith, who scored on a layup with just four seconds left to tie the score at 77-77. The Panthers did not get a shot off after that, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra frame, Smith split a pair of free throws, putting GVSU ahead 78-77. It was the only time the Lakers would lead in overtime, as Drury scored the next six points and led by as many as nine before Smith's layup with four seconds left were the final points of the game.

Grand Valley State received double-figure efforts from five players and forced overtime against one of the top teams in the region without 2008-09 GLIAC Freshman of the Year Emma Veach. Battling an injury, Veach played just two first-half minutes and did not attempt a shot. Last season, the rookie averaged 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Padin led all players with 19 points and a career-high nine assists. She shot 7-of-18 from the field and totaled four steals in 39 minutes of play. Filling in for Veach in the starting lineup, Kretz notched a career-high 15 points, as she shot 6-of-14 from the field and made three of her six three-point attempts.

Van Tiflin totaled a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, which were both one shy of her career-high. She connected on 4-of-8 three-point attempts. Stelfox provided an inside presence with 14 points, five rebounds, and three blocked shots, while shooting 6-of-10 from the floor. Smith recorded 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 29 productive minutes off the Laker bench.

Drury shot well the entire game, enjoying a 53.1 percent (34-of-64) clip from the field and 73.1 percent (19-of-26) at the charity stripe. The Panthers outrebounded GVSU, 41-33. Grand Valley State shot 44.4 percent (32-of-72) and made 11-of-34 three-pointers for a 32.4 percent mark. DU notched a 46-32 advantage in points in the paint, while the Lakers totaled 23 points on 17 Panther turnovers.

GVSU is in action again on Saturday (Nov. 21) against Kentucky Wesleyan. The game will tip off at 5:00 p.m.